People Before Profit candidate calls for “Bedford Row” to be renamed “Handala Row”
"Limerick people have been very strong in their support for the people of Palestine [and] I think it is only right to find a way to celebrate the ties of solidarity we have with Palestine."
A local election candidate and Palestine solidarity activist has called for ‘Bedford Row’ to be renamed to commemorate Limerick’s solidarity with Palestine and ditch the reference to the British Duke of Bedford.
The pedestrianised street has been the home to weekly vigils and demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine in recent months. Now Ruairi Fahy, People Before Profit local election candidate for Limerick City North has suggested Bedford Row could be renamed to “make permanent that connection between the people of Limerick and Palestine”.
He has suggested “Handala Row” as one possibility, after the character created by Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, who was assassinated in 1987. Al-Ali described Handala as “the arrow of the compass, pointing steadily towards Palestine. Not just Palestine in geographical terms, but Palestine in its humanitarian sense—the symbol of a just cause, whether it is located in Egypt, Vietnam or South Africa.” to novelist Radwa Ashour of al-Muwagaha, in 1985.
In a statement, Mr. Fahy said “Limerick people have been very strong in their support for the people of Palestine, with weekly demos and a whole host of Limerick stars in sport and culture speaking out. We have many globally already, we are twinned with different towns and cities for instance, and I think it is only right to find a way to celebrate the ties of solidarity we have with Palestine. Bedford Row has been the epicentre of this, and it would seem like a strong contender as it’s current naming is a little outdated.”
Bedford Row is currently named after Lord John Russel, 4th Duke of Bedford who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1757-1761. In 1963 he negotiated the Treaty of Paris which ended the 7 years war with the colonies of Florida and Canada transferring from Spain and France respectively to Britain.
“The 4th Duke of Bedford was responsible for a treaty that placed Britain in a dominant position of control over colonised people’s across the world. We would be far better off celebrating Palestine than this Duke. With even the losers of that treaty withdrawing funding from Palestinian refugees it’s clear these imperialist countries fear that an end to the Israeli settler-colony will threaten their economic grip over much of Africa and Asia. As a colonised people we should show our solidarity with Palestinians rather than leaving our streets named after the agents of greed who facilitated Ireland and Palestine’s colonisation.”
